Pine & Crane

In the heart of Silverlake -- yes, Silverlake -- and not far from Sunset Junction, there is a small cafe that serves tasty Taiwanese food at reasonable, almost comparable to SGV prices.  I consider this a huge win for everyone, particularly Silverlakers (Silverlakans?).

Why hello, Pine & Crane.  I'm so glad to have finally met you... and all the wonderful things you have to offer.

Wait in line to place your order, grab your number, and find a seat.

Finding a seat may be tricky; don't be afraid of communal seating.

Simple, easy-to-read menu.

Side Dishes on display.

Wood Ear Mushroom Salad -- a cold refreshing summer salad that have a crunchy texture and plenty of nutrients.

Marinated Cucumber -- also a crunchy, refreshing summer salad.

Three Cup Jidori Chicken -- with Chinese basil, red pepper, sesame oil soy sauce, and rice wine -- $12

Beef Noodle Soup -- with beef shank, baby bok choy, and preserved mustard greens -- $9

Perfectly-cooked, springy noodles in a broth that was surprisingly refreshing and flavorful.

Beef Roll -- $6

Mapo Tofu -- with Kurobuta pork and Sichuan peppercorns (v) -- $9

Mmmm.  

Potstickers -- stuffed with Kurobuta pork shoulder and Taiwanese cabbage -- $6

Minced Pork on Rice with soy-braised egg and house daikon pickle -- $6

FEAST BEASTIN'

All of the rice dishes (mapo tofu, jidori chicken, minced pork) come with a side of rice and the beef noodle soup is lip-smackingly good (oh, that broth).  The one dish that happened to be subpar in the above picture is the minced pork, not because it is horrible, but because everything else outshines it.

Although Pine & Crane may not be the most authentic and best Taiwanese food offered outside of Taiwan, there's something awfully charming about this casual, yet hip eatery.  And coupled with food that is carefully prepared and served, it's certainly a noteworthy place to write home about.  Grab a couple of friends and enjoy share a meal, family-style.






cuisine: Taiwanese
location: Silverlake
hours: Everyday except Tuesday; noon-10pm
websites: { P&C | yelp | facebook | twitter | instagram }
parking: Street
attire: Casual
price: $5-15
must-haves: Beef noodle soup; Mapo tofu
tips: No reservations. Don't be afraid to sit near/ with strangers. It's all about sharing the dining experience. Seating outside is also available, but order your food to-go. They're vegan/vegetarian-friendly.  Lastly, they serve alcohol!
other reviews: { LA Weekly | darindines | Eating LA | e*star LA | LA Times }

Tender Greens Hollywood Beer Garden & Whole Animal Roast

photo courtesy of Zagat.

Tender Greens strives to serve "slow food, done fast." What does that mean?  It means the innovative chefs and their TG team create dishes that embrace the farm-to-fork culture.  It means you get to sample delicious food cooked and prepared from some of the freshest ingredients from local farmers, ranchers, and artisans without breaking the bank.  It means casual, fast-food dining gone healthy without compromising taste.  Basically, it means you win.

Speaking of winning, at its Hollywood location, on every third Sunday from May-October, Tender Greens serves up a special treat for beer-drinking carnivores -- hello, Hollywood Beer Garden and Whole Animal Roast! Neither being a carnivore nor a beer drinker is a prerequisite (there are plenty of vegetarian-friendly sides and non-alcoholic beverages), but as you can see below, appreciating both will only enhance the outdoor barbecue experience courtesy of our friends at Tender Greens.  I was fortunate to check out last month's event featuring a whole-roasted lamb from ReRide Ranch and brewskis from El Segundo Brew Co.

Casual, intimate outdoor patio dining with buffet-style set-up.

Whole baby lamb, brined for nearly 48 hours and marinated with rosemary, thyme, and other herbs, and roasted in a La Caja China box.

Cast-Iron Braised Greek Cheese with Lemon.

Eggplant Caponata.

Butter Lettuce and Frisee with Shaved Summer Squash, Carrots, and Champagne Vinaigrette.

Lamb Meatballs with Smoked Tomato and Parmesan.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Greek Lemon and Oregano.

Tabbouleh.

Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Salad with dill.

El Segundo Brew Co.'s Beer Guys.

Bon Appetit! 

The lamb was very tender and the greens complimented the meat quite well.  But the real highlight of the night were the desserts.  They were as delicious as they were beautiful -- I just wish I had saved more room in my stomach!

Traditional Baklava with Pistachios.

Mini Apricot Galettes.

Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake.

Apricot Trifle with Greek Yogurt, Lavender Honey, and Shaved Almonds.

Peach Cobbler.

A healthy sampling. ;)

There are three more Beer Garden events remaining this summer! August: Boar; Strand Brewing Co.  September: Turkey/ Goose; Bootlegger's Brewery; October: Oktoberfest-themed Pig; Smog City Brewing.  

If you want Tender Greens to bring the beer garden barbecue celebration to you or need them to cater your upcoming special event, they'll do so gladly.  [link]  Lastly, if the ticket price are out of your budget and you don't plan on throwing your own backyard beer garden, just visit the Tender Greens restaurant (with its many locations) for you quick, easy, but still healthy lunch or dinner.  You won't be disappointed.

cuisine: American
location(s): Multiple, but the Beer Garden is hosted in Hollywood
hours: Event starts at 5pm.
where: Back patio of the restaurant.
websites: { TG | yelp | facebook | twitter | instagram }
parking: Street meters
attire: Casual
cost: $45/ person for unlimited food and beer (or until they run out)
RSVP: email christina.wong@tendergreens.com. Limited to 50 spots, so reserve your ticket soon!

Komodo Cafe

Food trucks are a dime a dozen in LA.  For years, old-school taco trucks, aka - "loncheras," provided curb-side meals in local neighborhoods (mainly in East LA), and recently, a new wave of trucks carrying "gourmet" foods hit the street-food scene (everywhere else).  Both are essentially micro-enterprises headed by entrepreneurs who wish to maintain a living as a food vendor or in the very least, test out an idea without the hassle of high overhead costs and other hurdles.

Some food trucks roll in and out, but others get lucky.  The successful ones attract hungry fans who track trucks and share what, when, how, and why they are eating what they're eating via every mode of social media.  They are the ones who deliver interesting flavors and concepts that Angelenos rave about.  And even within that small group of lucky truckers, there is an even smaller group that open up a brick-and-mortar restaurant to serve their food sans wheels.  Komodo, with its "dangerously good food" is one of the elite few.

Le menu

Non-soda, non-alcoholic beverage selection

The Citrus Mango and the Lychee Lemonade are both refreshing and sweet, but I opted for the Lychee Lemonade, which is more lychee than lemonade.  For me, this is a win.

Lychee Lemonade - $2.50

Komodo has good salads and burritos, but its key to fame is their tacos.  Priced at $3 a piece, they are pricier than your typical East-LA taco, but since you get to choose from 12 different flavors, you get plenty of bang for your buck.  For an even better deal, choose the "Killer Combo" and get 4 tacos for $10.

Killer Combo (4 tacos) - $10

Signature - top sirloin pieces topped with guac and cotija cheese - 3/5

Fish & Grapes - deep-fried Alaskan cod w/ fresh grape and roasted almond salad - 5/5

Java - Indonesian shredded pork Rendang braised in coconut milk w/ cucumber & tomato salad - 4/5

Blazin' Shrimp - Spicy Singaporean-style shrimp w/ sour cream salad and cilantro - 4/5

Loko Modo - Hawaiian-style grilled ground sirloin w/ island sweet sauce and egg - 3/5

MP3 - top sirloin chunks w/ potatoes, garlic aioli, and seared quail egg - 5/5

All of the tacos were tasty, but the MP3 and Fish & Grapes were my personal faves.  The Burgerrito (deconstructed cheeseburger - not pictured) was also surprisingly delicious despite its simple concept.

Crabcakes w/ curry aioli - $6 - 3/5

I found the crabcakes overcooked and too dry.  The curry aioli was overpowered by the aioli (probably egg yolk) part of the sauce.  I wish there was a more spicier curry aftertaste.

Tuna Tartar Wonton Tacos w/ Avocado - $6 - 5/5

Fresh tuna, fresh avocado = win, win!

Truffle Tater Tots - $7 - 5/5

The crispy outer shell with the pillowy potato center of each perfectly-cooked tater tot makes life a better place.  So now, imagine delicious tater tots, drizzled with truffle oil and tossed with Parmesan cheese.   You just have to try these for yourselves.  It's really that good.

Thanks Komodo, for serving your delicious food both on the streets and in your small, but cozy space in West LA.  I'll be back again!



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cuisine: Asian Fusion

location: West LA
hours: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm, Daily
websites: { Komodo | yelp | twitter | FB }
attire: Casual
parking: Street meters
Follow the Komodo Truck via Twitter  
Interview w/ co-founders/ brothers: { the other asians }